Ilana Newman
Overview
Ilana Newman is an activist with IfNotNow (INN) who has expressed support for violent protesters, participated in events repurposing Jewish rituals, protested the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and supported an anti-Israel agitator. She has also demonized Israel.As of June 2019, Newman’s LinkedIn page said she was Graduate Research Assistant at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH) and studying for a Master of Health Science, Social Factors in Health, due to graduate in 2020.
Supporting Violent Protesters
On May 24, 2018, Newman participated [00:02:42] in an event “in solidarity with the Palestinian victims of last week's massacre in Gaza,” titled: “Iftar in the Streets for Gaza.” The event was organized by INN together with MPower Change, co-founded by Linda Sarsour, and American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), which has been accused of providing a platform for anti-Semitism and of connections to Hamas.
At the event, AMP founder Hatem Bazian said [00:00:31]: “MPower, IfNotNow and AMP are coming together to craft a new path for change.” He went on to say [00:07:35]: “we want to celebrate the fact that a new broad coalition is coming together.”
Activists recited [00:13:35] the Mourner's Kaddish prayer for Palestinians who had been killed in the Gaza border protests.
The Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish is a prayer customarily reserved for close relatives or Jews murdered for being Jews.
Newman was listed as the press contact for INN on a press release about an April 13, 2018 protest in San Francisco, in support of the Great March of Return.
On March 30, 2018, some 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza approached Israel’s border to take part in “Land Day Protests” or the “Great March of Return.” The March was organized and funded by Hamas as a campaign of violent protests along Israel’s border.
Activists blocked the doors of United States Senator Dianne Feinstein’s office for over two hours, forcing the building to close for the duration of the protest.
The activists also recited [00:05:55] the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer for Palestinians killed during the Great March of Return protests. INN stated: “The demonstrators called on Feinstein to condemn Israeli violence against Palestinian protesters in Gaza” and referred to “The Great March of Return” as “a protest which has not injured or endangered Israeli soldiers or civilians.”
INN Bay Area member Amitai Ben-Abba eulogized [00:34:32] photojournalist Yasser Murtaja. Murtaja was reportedly a Hamas spy who useddrones to film Israeli positions. He was shot on April 6, 2018 as he filmed the 2018 March of Return protest in Gaza.
Muhammad Abu Amro was also eulogized [00:36:40]. Hamas’ military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades identified Abu Amro as one of their “martyrs” and posted a photo of him armed and in uniform on both their website and on Twitter.
On April 13, 2018, Newman tweeted: “This past week @SenFeinstein tweeted against gun violence and wished Jews a happy Passover, but she’d rather arrest my friends than condemn the shooting of unarmed protesters in Gaza. #HowManyMore.”
Most of the Gazans who died between March 30 and April 6, 2018, were identified as terror operatives who were killed while carrying out terrorist attacks, rioting against IDF forces or attempting to breach the border fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Repurposing Jewish Rituals
On October 9, 2016, Newman participated in an INN Bay Area event for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. The event called upon Jews in D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago and the Bay Area to take “communal responsibility for 50 years of occupation.”Activists paraded [00:00:52] outside the Jewish Community Federation building on Steuart Street in San Francisco while holding signs that read: “Heed The Call” and “Which Side Are You On?” One protester declared [00:01:43] “We are guilty!” and another claimed [00:01:46] that Israel’s actions “violate Jewish values.”
The participants chanted: [00:02:15] “we’re ready, we’re coming!!” and acted out Jewish High Holiday rituals traditionally associated with repentance, such as blowing [00:02:29] the Shofar [00:01:40] and reciting “Ashamnu” — confession.
On September 29, 2016, INN released a video of its members performing the “Tashlikh” ritual to “repent for our sins” and for the sins of Jewish institutions.
Tashlich is a Jewish High Holiday ritual in which individuals symbolically cast off their sins.
INN described the ritual as part of their “#HeedTheCall series of actions… using the rituals and themes of the [Jewish] High Holidays.”
INN described the ritual as part of their “#HeedTheCall series of actions… using the rituals and themes of the [Jewish] High Holidays.”
On July 24, 2014, Newman participated in an INN event “to say the mourners kaddish and read names of the victims of the violence in Israel/Palestine in recent weeks,” referring to Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE).
Protesting AIPAC
On March 19, 2017, Newman also participated in an INN event titled: “Jewish Resistance at AIPAC - L.A.” The event’s Facebook description said: “The annual AIPAC policy conference is always a festival of pandering, with American politicians jockeying for who can pay higher lip-service to the U.S.-Israel ‘special relationship.’”Newman indicated on Facebook that she “went” to a March 25, 2017 INN event titled: “Jewish Resistance at AIPAC Preparation and Training Day.”
On March 26, 2017, Newman participated in an INN protest outside the Washington, D.C. venue of the AIPAC policy conference, where some activists chained themselves to the entrance of the conference center.
The stated mission of AIPAC is to “strengthen, protect and promote the U.S.-Israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the United States and Israel.”
In an INN-produced video filmed during the protest and posted to Facebook, Thomas Corcoran, then-INN Digital Coordinator, said [00:35:37] that AIPAC had “perpetuated Islamophobia” for years.
Cornel West, anti-Israel Professor, spoke [00:43:42] at the rally. West has dismissed Jewish historical connections to Israel, labeled Israel an apartheid state and equated [00:00:23] the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) with Hamas.
Four INN activists purchased tickets to the conference, posing as AIPAC delegates, in order to gain access to the building. Once inside, the INN activists dropped banners from the center’s third floor, stating that they “reject AIPAC and the occupation,” before being removed by security.
On March 28, 2017, following the anti-AIPAC rally, INN’s activities were endorsed by Robert Warren Ray, a “Feature Writer” from the Neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer.
Ray wrote on the Daily Stormer: “I am officially endorsing the Jew vs Jew AIPAC protests...You’re doing our work for us. Keep it up.”
Newman also indicated on Facebook that she “went” to a March 27, 2017, INN DC event titled: “Freedom Not Phobia: IfNotNow Jews Stand with Muslims.”
The event’s Facebook description said: “we must reject AIPAC’s Islamophobia” and that “AIPAC clings to fear politics and an unsustainable vision for Israel that not only dehumanizes and endangers Palestinians daily, but by extension, renders Jews themselves unsafe, spiritually diminished, and in conflict with our own history and values.”
Newman also indicated on Facebook that she “went” to a March 27, 2017, INN-organized training event in Washington D.C., titled: “ResistAIPAC Anti-Islamophobia Training,” that was “developed and facilitated in coordination” with Taher Herzallah, the Associate Director of Outreach and Grassroots Organizing for AMP.
The training event’s Facebook page promised to “continue the theme of the day with an action” that focused on the ways “AIPAC supports Islamophobia.”
The INN organizers wrote they were “excited to be joined by” Ramah Kudaimi, the Director of Programs and Operations for U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), a coalition of American-based anti-Israel organizations, which lobbies the U.S. Congress to adopt anti-Israel policies and to end support for Israel.
INN reported that the event was attended by “55 IfNotNow members from Washington D.C, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City.”
They also reported that the training session looked at “messages of Islamophobia” and “focused on the ways the Jewish institutions in which many of us grew-up teach and propagate these messages.”
INN then listened to Herzallah go into “greater detail about various Jewish institutions that perpetuate Islamophobia support the occupation.”
The training event was followed by a protest outside of AIPAC's Conference at the Mt. Vernon Convention Center that evening to focus “on the ways AIPAC supports Islamophobia.”
At the protest, INN organizer Jill Raney said that the training earlier that day taught [00:22:10] her how Islamophobia is closely tied to the “American support for the Occupation.”
During the protest, one leader claimed [00:30:18] that AIPAC is “Islamophobic” and “peddles Islamophobia.” Another INN speaker took the bullhorn to explain [00:09:04] that he came out to “make sure that we continue to resist the awful influence that AIPAC has on the Jewish community and our country as a whole.”
Newman’s testimonial said: “#YouNeverToldMe about the ceaseless oppression ... under Occupation. Young American Jews…are working to end to our community's support for continued displacement and brutality in our name.”
The campaign featured INN members providing testimonials about their Israel-related educational experiences with different Jewish organizations, including United Synagogue Youth (USY), Camp Ramah, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the Solomon Schechter Day School Network.
Some of the testimonials were published as op-ed pieces in publications like The Forward, the JewSchool and 972mag.
On August 10, 2016, Newman was featured in a photo with other INN members, posted to Facebook by INN Bay Area. In the photo, Newman held a sign that said: “OUR VISION. A Jewish community that stands with the Movement for Black Lives and Against the Occupation.”
On August 7, 2016, INN released a statement calling “on the JCRC to Retract Their Statement Condemning the Vision for Black Lives and the movement behind it.”
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston (JCRC) issued a statement on August 3, 2016, saying that it was “deeply dismayed” by elements of the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) policy platform, “specifically the co-opting and manipulation of a movement addressing concerns about racial disparities in criminal justice in the United States in order to advance a biased and false narrative about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.”
The JCRC statement continued: “JCRC cannot and will not align ourselves with organizations that falsely and maliciously assert that Israel is committing ‘genocide.’ We denounce...the ‘BDS’ movement. We reject participation in any coalition that seeks to isolate and demonize Israel singularly amongst the nations of the world.”
The INN organizers wrote they were “excited to be joined by” Ramah Kudaimi, the Director of Programs and Operations for U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), a coalition of American-based anti-Israel organizations, which lobbies the U.S. Congress to adopt anti-Israel policies and to end support for Israel.
INN reported that the event was attended by “55 IfNotNow members from Washington D.C, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City.”
They also reported that the training session looked at “messages of Islamophobia” and “focused on the ways the Jewish institutions in which many of us grew-up teach and propagate these messages.”
INN then listened to Herzallah go into “greater detail about various Jewish institutions that perpetuate Islamophobia support the occupation.”
The training event was followed by a protest outside of AIPAC's Conference at the Mt. Vernon Convention Center that evening to focus “on the ways AIPAC supports Islamophobia.”
At the protest, INN organizer Jill Raney said that the training earlier that day taught [00:22:10] her how Islamophobia is closely tied to the “American support for the Occupation.”
During the protest, one leader claimed [00:30:18] that AIPAC is “Islamophobic” and “peddles Islamophobia.” Another INN speaker took the bullhorn to explain [00:09:04] that he came out to “make sure that we continue to resist the awful influence that AIPAC has on the Jewish community and our country as a whole.”
Supporting an Anti-Israel Agitator
On January 31, 2018, Newman participated in an INN event to make birthday cards for anti-Israel agitator, Ahed Tamimi, “to show her love and be part of this groundswell of support… to Ahed and the hundreds of children currently in Israeli military prison.”Ahed Tamimi has a long history of physically attacking Israeli soldiers. Tamimi is the daughter of Bassem Tamimi, who is known for exploiting young children as political props in staged confrontations with Israeli soldiers.
Demonizing Israel
Newman gave a testimonial for INN’s "You Never Told Me" campaign. The campaign calls on Jewish educational organizations and institutions to include information about “the occupation” in their teachings about Israel.Newman’s testimonial said: “#YouNeverToldMe about the ceaseless oppression ... under Occupation. Young American Jews…are working to end to our community's support for continued displacement and brutality in our name.”
The campaign featured INN members providing testimonials about their Israel-related educational experiences with different Jewish organizations, including United Synagogue Youth (USY), Camp Ramah, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the Solomon Schechter Day School Network.
Some of the testimonials were published as op-ed pieces in publications like The Forward, the JewSchool and 972mag.
On August 10, 2016, Newman was featured in a photo with other INN members, posted to Facebook by INN Bay Area. In the photo, Newman held a sign that said: “OUR VISION. A Jewish community that stands with the Movement for Black Lives and Against the Occupation.”
On August 7, 2016, INN released a statement calling “on the JCRC to Retract Their Statement Condemning the Vision for Black Lives and the movement behind it.”
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston (JCRC) issued a statement on August 3, 2016, saying that it was “deeply dismayed” by elements of the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) policy platform, “specifically the co-opting and manipulation of a movement addressing concerns about racial disparities in criminal justice in the United States in order to advance a biased and false narrative about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.”
The JCRC statement continued: “JCRC cannot and will not align ourselves with organizations that falsely and maliciously assert that Israel is committing ‘genocide.’ We denounce...the ‘BDS’ movement. We reject participation in any coalition that seeks to isolate and demonize Israel singularly amongst the nations of the world.”
INN’s August 7, 2016 statement claimed: “Instead of embracing the core values of the Movement for Black Lives — dignity and freedom for all people — the JCRC has chosen to prioritize its support for Israel and endless occupation.”
IfNotNow (INN)
IfNotNow (INN) is an anti-Israel organization founded in 2014, in response to Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE) against Hamas.
INN claims to be “young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions” to OPE. INN presents three demands on its website: “Stop the War on Gaza, End the Occupation, and Freedom and Dignity for All.”
INN defines “the Occupation as the military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza,” which is land Israel has controlled for nearly 50 years since the 1967 Six-Day War. However, INN leaders have made [00:34:32] the claim [00:13:49] at protests that the occupation is 70 years long, referring to Israel’s founding in 1948.
INN actions have aimed to demonize [00:38:13] Israel, harass [00:05:44] mainstream American Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and decrease support for Israel among American Jews.
INN has used “public action and imaginative ritual” to achieve its goals, including disruptions where activists were arrested.
One of the high-profile arrests occurred at a May 2018 disruption at a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. to protest legislation against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
At the same incident, INN used [00:07:17] the Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer to mourn [00:09:10] protesters who were killed during the Hamas-organized and funded Great March of Return riots on the Israel-Gaza border.
INN activists have also staged and promoted walk-offs from Birthright Israel trips, a heritage trip to Israel for young Jewish adults from across the world.
INN claims to be “young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions” to OPE. INN presents three demands on its website: “Stop the War on Gaza, End the Occupation, and Freedom and Dignity for All.”
INN defines “the Occupation as the military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza,” which is land Israel has controlled for nearly 50 years since the 1967 Six-Day War. However, INN leaders have made [00:34:32] the claim [00:13:49] at protests that the occupation is 70 years long, referring to Israel’s founding in 1948.
INN actions have aimed to demonize [00:38:13] Israel, harass [00:05:44] mainstream American Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and decrease support for Israel among American Jews.
INN has used “public action and imaginative ritual” to achieve its goals, including disruptions where activists were arrested.
One of the high-profile arrests occurred at a May 2018 disruption at a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. to protest legislation against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
At the same incident, INN used [00:07:17] the Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer to mourn [00:09:10] protesters who were killed during the Hamas-organized and funded Great March of Return riots on the Israel-Gaza border.
INN activists have also staged and promoted walk-offs from Birthright Israel trips, a heritage trip to Israel for young Jewish adults from across the world.
INN claims to take no position on the BDS movement and that it is “open to any who seek to shift the American Jewish public away from the status quo that upholds the Occupation.” However, INN organizes with pro-BDS, anti-Israel organizations including American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).
Social Media and Weblinks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1054530475Twitter: https://twitter.com/lil__il [Private]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilananewman/
- Status:
- Student
- University:
- Johns-Hopkins
- Organizations:
- INN
- Related Profiles:
- Last Modified:
- 05/04/2026
Photos & Screenshots
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